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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29915175">Into the Unknown</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SongsofPsyche/pseuds/SongsofPsyche'>SongsofPsyche</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Borderlands, Final Prayer (2013), The Borderlands (2013), The Devil Lies Beneath (2013)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Magic, Pagan Gods, Panic Attacks, The Final Prayer (2013), dragon magic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:21:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,890</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29915175</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SongsofPsyche/pseuds/SongsofPsyche</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gray and Deacon were dying and they both knew it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Something that has been on my mind since I saw the movie, please don't take it too seriously.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Gray and Deacon were dying and they both knew it.</p><p> </p><p>Gray screamed as he watched his own blood drip down his face. He could distantly hear Deacon praying but he couldn’t make out the words as the walls caved in around him, pressing him until he felt his ribs shatter under the pressure. Gray found himself praying for death to take him away from this black nightmare, praying for one last miracle before his life ended.</p><p> </p><p>There was a shocking jolt and they were falling into deep black space. Gray, now beyond terror, watched it all through unfocused eyes as purple light streaked past him.</p><p> </p><p>BAM!</p><p> </p><p>AHHHHHH!</p><p> </p><p>HAHAHAHAHAA!</p><p> </p><p>Gray bolted upright and hit his head hard on the stone. He grimaced and rolled over, he felt like he was covered in fire ants and they were all biting him at the same time. His hands were shaking as he gripped the damp dirt beneath him.</p><p> </p><p>Dirt?</p><p> </p><p>He paused, just seconds before wasn’t he just dying in the belly of a pagan god? Slowly, very slowly he opened his eyes. He was back in the church, staring at the overturned camera that Deacon had been holding before they went into the tunnel. Dawn was approaching, and the first rays of the sun were piercing through the broken glass of the church windows.</p><p> </p><p>HAHAHA!</p><p> </p><p>Someone….or something was laughing but it didn’t sound malicious like Gray would have expected it. In fact, it sounded like they were celebrating. He gingerly sat up, and then realized with dismay that he was completely naked.</p><p> </p><p>“Deacon?” He whispered, looking around the empty church. He heard a low moan and looked to his left he saw that Deacon was laying on an overturned pew and he too was naked.</p><p> </p><p>HAHAHAHA!!</p><p> </p><p>The laughter continued, and there was a sudden rush of wind. Gray shuddered as the cold wind hit his still burning skin.</p><p> </p><p>There was a bright burst of light, and then a large scaly emerald creature appeared to be the one who was laughing. The light faded and the most stunning thing Gray had ever seen stood before him. She—he assumed that it was she—had flowing auburn hair that was crowned in silver, large lilac eyes, and great wings that reminded him of the songbirds that he had seen when was little at his grandmother’s house out in the country it…she…had four legs with delicate claws and a long tail that had a tuft of hair on the end that was also auburn. She twirled around joyfully but then stopped in her tracks. She hiccupped once, then twice doubling over to the ground, her back arched like a cat and she hacked, pulling something long out of her mouth with her front claws. She hiccupped again, and then looked over at him. Their eyes met but then Gray looked away, suddenly scared of this otherworldly being.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello?”</p><p> </p><p>He stared, did she just speak to him? She took a cautious step towards him and he felt himself instinctively recoil away from her.</p><p> </p><p>“You should put some clothes on, dawn is approaching,” she told him and then smiled kindly at him, showing long pearly fanglike teeth.</p><p> </p><p>Gray wanted to ask “What are you?” But he thought that would be rude, so instead, he started stuttering.</p><p> </p><p>“Wh—wh—whooo are you?”</p><p> </p><p>She raised her eyebrows at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Shouldn’t you know? You are the one that freed me, are you not?”</p><p> </p><p>Just then, Deacon awoke jumping up from the ground and letting out a string of swear words.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I didn’t know there were two of you. Do you always come in pairs now? Or….or are you lovers?”</p><p> </p><p>“Gray?!? Where are you? Where are my clothes? What the hell happened? Get this stupid camera off of me….GRAY!”</p><p> </p><p>Deacon was remarkably chatty, probably because he was in shock. He marched up to Gray who was still staring at him, not noticing the creature standing in the middle of the church.</p><p> </p><p>“Deacon…Deacon we are not alone….” Gray managed to whisper and then he pointed to the creature.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon looked over, gasped loudly tripping backward he sunk into one of the church pews, his mouth gaping.</p><p> </p><p>The creature looked like she was about to say something else, but then she started hiccupped again, her back arched and something hung out of her mouth. She pulled it, coughing and gagging. It came out of her mouth and then Gray realized what it was.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s….that’s my shirt…..” He said faintly. She stared at him and then offered the slimy shirt out.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh. Sorry about that. Here you go.”</p><p> </p><p>He grimaced at the slimy piece of clothing in her hand.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay. You can keep it.”</p><p> </p><p>They all stared at each other, an awkward silence falling over them. She slowly put the shirt down on the ground and then smiled shyly.</p><p> </p><p>“What the fuck are you?” Deacon asked after several beats of silence.</p><p> </p><p>She gave him an incredulous look, “Liy’acho….. you know the one who you rescued.”</p><p> </p><p>“Rescued? I don’t think so, last thing I remember was that I was being digested in a…..in a sarlac pit for Christ's sake. What the fuck happened? Gray? Do you know what’s going on?” Deacon was shouting now, board line hysterical. Gray watched him feeling slightly disassociated with what was happening.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean, rescued?” Gray asked when he could finally find his voice.</p><p> </p><p>“You know, saved…lifted the curse from…liberated….gave freedom too,” she said, looking back and forth between them. She then hiccupped and spit out a shoe. The three of them stared at it, all lost for words.</p><p> </p><p>“Pardon me,” she said, blushing pink slightly.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon stared at the shoe, “That’s….that’s…. that’s…..my my my…..”</p><p> </p><p>“Shoe?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well next time please remember to take off all external items before diving into the belly of the beast everyone knows that, it’s like rule number one,” she said, rolling her eyes at them.</p><p> </p><p>“What the fuck is going on?”</p><p> </p><p>She stared at them with her large lilac eyes and then started laughing. The laughter quickly turned into another hiccup, and another shoe flew out of her mouth and hit the ground with a wet thud.</p><p> </p><p>“Seriously? Both of you were wearing shoes?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well yeah? Typically that is something that we both do. Who are you, exactly?” Deacon asked, he seemed to be coming to his senses at last.</p><p> </p><p>“My name is Liy’acho, thank you for lifting the curse and saving me from my earthy grave,” she said and then she bowed deeply.  She hiccupped again, and a belt fell out of her mouth, hitting the floor with a metallic twang.</p><p> </p><p>“Excuse me,” she blushed.</p><p> </p><p>“What the fuck are you talking about? We didn’t rescue you…you digested us and Father ….and….and we were here then going through these caves and we saw children’s skeletons and then there was this stuff and I was melting….what exactly is going on?” Deacon said angrily, standing up and snatching his belt off the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, but I don’t understand. You didn’t come to rescue me?” She asked, looking between the two of them.</p><p> </p><p>She let out a long sigh, and blew the auburn out of her face,</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, I can explain but it might take a while. Why don’t you two find some clothes and sit down,”</p><p> </p><p>“The fuck I will come on Gray let’s get out of here,” Deacon said, and started walking towards the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait! Please….Deacon. I think we should listen to her,” Gray said, following him. Deacon turned around and glared at him.</p><p> </p><p>“I think you’re crazy. You are all crazy. I’m going. Goodbye.”</p><p> </p><p>He reached for the door, but then the creature—-Liy’acho—- darted in front of him, blocking the only exit with her huge scaly body.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait…please. I think you deserve an explanation, after what you went through. Please…I need——-,”</p><p> </p><p>She hiccupped again, and spit a pair of pants out onto the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s see…so that’s a pair of pants. There have been two shirts, three pairs of shoes, and one belt. How many items of clothing were you wearing?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’d say you are about halfway there,” Gray answered and then he chuckled a little bit. It <em>was </em>kinda funny. Here they were, standing naked in a church with an otherworldly being who was hiccupping and coughing out pants and shoes.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Gray </em>come on, it isn’t funny. Let’s go, let’s get out of here!” Deacon said, but then he started laughing too.</p><p> </p><p>“Would you listen to me if you had some clothes to wear?” She asked, looking between both of them.</p><p> </p><p>“Sure…”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay…let see….” She scrunched her eyes closed and then snapped her claw. There was a loud bang, like the sound of a balloon being popped and Gray felt heavy fabric wrap around him. He looked down and saw that he was wearing a bright purple ballgown with silver sequins. He looked over and saw that Deacon was also wearing a ballgown but he was pink.</p><p> </p><p>“Uhhh…..,” he started, looking up at the creature.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh…wait you are the other kind. Sorry…hold on,” there was another loud bang, and this time he was wearing pants and a tunic that looked like they had come straight off the set of Monty Python.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s a bit better, I suppose.”</p><p> </p><p>“Good….good. Now uh let's see…where to start <em>hiccup—,” </em>she squeaked loudly and a lone black sock landed on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>This seemed to be too much for Deacon, for he sunk down to the ground and started cackling hysterically.  Gray felt his hands starting to shake just a bit, he kneeled down next to Deacon and put his hand softly on his shoulder. Deacon flinched away from his touch, and his laughter stopped as quickly as it started.  He took a few deep breaths, and then he looked up at the creature.</p><p> </p><p>“Hopefully there won’t be too many more interruptions. As I was saying, my name is Liy’acho but you may call me Liya if you would like. A long time ago I was living amongst the stars but then I was pulled out of the sky and driven deep into the earth, in a prison caste just for me by those who were too afraid to see who I really was. I was cursed to live in darkness for all eternity. The only way for the curse to be broken was for a nonbeliever to revive his faith at the hands of death,”</p><p> </p><p>She knelt down, and very gently put her claw-like hand on Deacon’s knee. Deacon cringed away from her touch as if she had burned him.</p><p> </p><p>“You—-,” she started, but was cut off by a sharp cry from Deacon.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“You murdered thousands of innocent children! I read his…what’s his name’s…. diary, I know what you asked of him, I know what was sacrificed to your insidious appetite. Don’t you dare touch me” Deacon shouted viciously, scrambling away from her and hitting the back of his head against the wall. He winced in pain, and sent her a dark glower.</p><p> </p><p>She winced, “I don’t deny that, but if you just listen to me. I didn’t have a choice in any of what happened.  It pained me as much as it pained them to hear them screaming from inside me, I would have….I wished I….<em>hiccup—,” </em>she broke off as a wallet fell out of her mouth onto the floor. Gray recognized it as his wallet.</p><p> </p><p>Gray stared at her, and tried to voice the millions of questions that were going through his mind.</p><p> </p><p>“How long?” He finally managed to croak.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know. What year is it?”</p><p> </p><p>“2014,”</p><p> </p><p>The little color that was in her face drained, and she stared at him with those deep violet eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“How long?” Gray asked again, forcing himself not to look away from the shattered look in her eyes as they filled with unshed tears.</p><p> </p><p>“600 years.”</p><p> </p><p>Gray stared at her and tried to imagine the horrors of being kept underground as a worm for 600 years and being force fed children.</p><p> </p><p>She shook her auburn main and wiped her eyes with one claw, suddenly looking very cat like in the dim morning light.</p><p> </p><p>“Anyway, that’s my story. I’m sure you have lots of questions, but I want to get going before they start noticing that I have been freed. Did you bring it with you?”</p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p> </p><p>“You know….the Dracelestone? Magical stone that will help me get home,” she said, pointing up to the sky.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about….what’s a Dracelestone?” Gray said, staring at her.</p><p> </p><p>She stared open jawed at him, hiccupped again and spat out another shoe.</p><p> </p><p>“You…you did mean to rescue me, right? Like you guys are on some kind of quest to free the moon goddess to get your wishes and all the jazz…don’t you know your history?”</p><p> </p><p>“None of what you said made any sense to me at all. We were investigating a claim on behalf of the Vatican—,”</p><p> </p><p>“HA the Vatican sent you? What a bunch of morons, I’m sorry but I have nothing nice to say about those jerks <em>hiccup hiccup—-,” </em>she winced and then pulled a jacket out of her mouth and placed it on the floor. A second later another wallet hit the stones with a wet thump.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, the Vatican sent us to investigate the accounts of a claimed miracle and then you ATE us!”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, first of all I didn’t mean to eat anybody and second of all, what the hell guys? You didn’t even bring the Dracelestone. How am I supposed to get home now?” She said angrily and sending them both a glare.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon stood up and wobbled slightly on his feet, “I’m done with this shit. Goodbye.”</p><p> </p><p>And he once again started towards the church doors. Gray watched him go and this time Li’ya didn’t try to stop him.</p><p> </p><p>“I….I better go after him…..sorry…” Gray told her, and then he darted outside after Deacon into the bright dawn-lit gardens of the church.</p><p> </p><p>888</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gray walked out of the church wincing as he stepped into the light of dawn and felt the frigid morning air sting his face.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gray walked out of the church wincing as he stepped into the light of dawn and felt the frigid morning air sting his face.</p><p>           </p><p>“Deacon!”</p><p> </p><p>He looked around, suddenly fearful that Deacon had set out into the nearby woods leaving him alone.  He rounded the corner, and then Gray saw him kneeling down underneath a tree and dry heaving.</p><p> </p><p>Carefully, Gray stepped towards him and gently put a hand on his shoulder. Deacon flinched again, and then brushed his hand away with a trembling hand. Gray, feeling slightly lost knelt down beside him but didn’t say anything.</p><p> </p><p>“Is this really happening?” Deacon asked after a few beats of silence.</p><p> </p><p>“I guess so?”</p><p> </p><p>“…I heard you screaming…and for the first time in a long while I prayed….Gray, I don’t know…I…” Deacon whispered quietly, finally looking up at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Deacon….”</p><p> </p><p>“None of this was supposed to be real, it was supposed to be like the others. Tricks and schemes. How could it be real?” he continued in the same broken whisper.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know, Deacon. How could I? What happened in the tunnel----,”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t. Stop. Please…” Deacon cut him off, shuddering and then putting his head in his hands. He suppressed a quiet sob, and Gray looked away face burning as he witnessed this raw moment of vulnerability.</p><p> </p><p>Gray remained still as he watched the morning mist float through the trees with unfocused eyes. His hands burned and he looked down, staring at the bloody flesh. He needed to fix his hands and he envisioned himself standing up, walking down the hill to the cottage, taking a shower, making tea but he couldn’t seem to find the will to move.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon shifted slightly, causing him to start at the sudden movement. Gray watched him as he sat up straight and crossed his arms over his chest.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think she was telling the truth?” Deacon asked quietly, looking up at Gray.</p><p> </p><p>Gray shook his head, “I don’t know, maybe? She said something about a curse, and a stone…it was a lot to process.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah…”</p><p> </p><p>“Deacon, I know all this is insane, but I think we should help her,”</p><p> </p><p>Deacon gave him an incredulous look, “Help her? No….just…I can’t. It’s too much…and I….”</p><p> </p><p>He broke off again, looking away from Gray and brushing his hands over his face.</p><p> </p><p>Gray was about to say something else when he noticed movement coming from the church door as it opened and then slammed shut making the birds in the nearby trees take flight and Deacon flinch again.</p><p> </p><p>“What was that?”</p><p> </p><p>Gray stood up to get a better look and saw a tuft of auburn hair bob up and down, there was a shrill giggle and a crunchy thump as whomever or whatever came out of the church slipped on the stony gravel. Tentatively, Gray walked towards the path, leaving Deacon still kneeling by the tree.</p><p> </p><p>A young woman in an emerald dress wearing a purple backpack was crouched on all fours, looking remarkably like a very large frog. Her long red hair twisted and curled around her face as she examined a piece of the gravel with dainty fingers. She looked up at him, her lilac eyes sparkling in the morning sun. She stood up quickly, wobbled unsteadily on her legs, and crashed down to the ground with another surprisingly loud giggle. She attempted to stand again, using the wall of the church to prop herself up. She looked up at him and gave him a mischievous smile.</p><p> </p><p>“So what do you think about my disguise?” she asked, giving an awkward twirl.</p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well I can’t just stroll into town in my true form, that’s what got me into trouble the last time I ventured down here. The Dracelstone isn’t going to find itself, you know?” she said as she examined her delicate fingers in the sun.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait…..you’re Li’ya? That….that  <em>thing</em> we were talking to earlier?”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey! Watch it with who you call <em>thing</em>. Yes, I am Liy’a. Li’ya the Human being. That’s me! Look at how many fingers I have! What are they all used for?” she said, wiggling her hands in front of him and giving him a wide grin.</p><p> </p><p>“Deacon is going to <em>love </em>this,” Gray mumbled under his breath as he watched Li’ya take an awkward step forward and then crouch down again with her hands on the ground. She hopped around a bit, then stood back up, lost her balance, and fell into him. He caught her and steadied her on her feet.</p><p> </p><p>“Walking on two feet is a bit different, I suppose?” he asked her.</p><p> </p><p>“Just a bit, I’ve never done this before,” she said, and then she grabbed his hand to balance as she wobbled backward.</p><p> </p><p>“You never told me your name, by the way,” she asked, looking up at him with startling bright lilac eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Gray,”</p><p> </p><p>“And your lover’s name?”</p><p> </p><p>“What? No no no… Deacon. The other <em>man </em>who was with me, his name is Deacon. We are workplace associates.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, thank you Gray for rescuing me. I grabbed your things and put them here in my human sack. They really gave me bad indigestion,”</p><p> </p><p>She opened up the purple backpack, and Gray saw a bundle of slimy clothes, shoes, wallets, and camera equipment that he and Deacon had been wearing earlier when they had….he winced as a shooting pain ran down his spine and then he shuddered.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” he managed in a small whisper.</p><p> </p><p>“Now come, let’s get started. I want to get home!” she said, and then, still holding his hand, started walking towards the gate of the church.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait a minute…wait wait wait…what are we starting? I need some tea first before we are doing anything. Deacon? DEACON!” Gray said, turning over his shoulder and hoping that Deacon would come to his senses and join them.</p><p> </p><p>“We are going to find the Dracelstone, and then I am going to use it to get home,” she said and pointed up to the sky.</p><p> </p><p>“Home? Up there?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, you can’t see it right now, it’s too bright….ah….there it is,” she said, and she pointed to the dim outline of the half-crescent moon in the sky.</p><p> </p><p>“The moon? You live on the moon?” he asked her.</p><p> </p><p>She nodded, “Well I am the moon goddess, where else would I live?”</p><p> </p><p>Gray didn’t know how to answer that question, so instead, he looked for Deacon. He saw him standing up slowly and waved at him.</p><p> </p><p>“There is Deacon,”</p><p> </p><p>Deacon walked over, still looking shaken from everything that had happened.  When he saw Li’ya, he raised his eyebrows at Gray.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you think it’s a bit early to be picking up women, Gray?”</p><p> </p><p>Li’ya attempted to curtsey but then she toppled over and Gray caught her before she hit the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello! My name is Li’ya the human. I like to talk about how annoying the weather is and plan many different ways to forge weapons with rocks. Aren’t I such a good human?”</p><p> </p><p>Deacon looked at her for approximately fifteen seconds, then pointed a finger at her.</p><p> </p><p>“No.”</p><p> </p><p>Then he started down the pathway towards the car as fast as he possibly could.</p><p> </p><p>Gray turned to Li’ya, who looked slightly disappointed by Deacon and then pointed with his free hand down the path.</p><p> </p><p>“He’ll come around in time, let’s get going before he leaves us.”</p><p> </p><p>“Does this mean you’ll help me?” she asked optimistically.</p><p> </p><p>Gray took in her hopeful smile and large pleading lilac eyes. He felt too exhausted to argue anymore, all he wanted was to get back to the cottage, take a shower and drink some tea.  So he figured the best thing to do would just let her tag along for now. They could figure it out later. After the tea.</p><p> </p><p>“Sure,”</p><p> </p><p>Then they started walking together down the small hill.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am currently procrasti-writing because I don't want to build my new office chair. I ordered it online and it came in a big box and there are like one thousand different pieces. So I will sit on the floor and write until I have to go to work. Take that, chair I don't need you! -_-</p><p>On another note, this has been super fun to write and more will be up soon probably tomorrow sometime. Thank you for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Getting to the cottage with Li’ya was a definite test of patience for Gray as she stumbled alongside him and Deacon on shaky legs. </p><p>The night before they had left the car unlocked, with the keys to both the vehicle and the cottage hidden in the glove box. Gray winced as he remembered Mark saying that they wouldn’t be gone long. </p><p>The car ride had been uneventful, if not slightly awkward as they drove in silence. Li’ya remained quiet and thoughtful, staring up at the sky through the car window and Gray wondered what had happened to her. Who cursed her and buried her in the ground and why did they do it?</p><p>When they arrived at the cottage, Deacon got out of the car without saying anything, slamming the door shut and fumbling with his keys to open the cottage door. </p><p>Gray helped Li’ya out of the car, and they walked inside the small cottage. Deacon was already in the kitchen pulling out a bottle of beer from the fridge.</p><p>“I put the kettle on, I’m afraid we don’t have too much left just that bloody awful stuff Mark brought back from Boston,”  he said pointing to a box of off brand tea bags and a bottle of powdered creamer without looking at either of them as he fumbled in the kitchen drawers for a bottle opener. </p><p>Gray watched as Li’ya examined the small kitchen, running her hands over the table and picking up a fork that had been left out from the night before.  She wobbled a little, losing her balance and Deacon caught her before she fell.</p><p>“Sit down before you break something,” he said, and he pulled out the kitchen chair for her to sit. She giggled and sat down in the chair. </p><p>The kettle boiled, making a shrill sound that made everyone jump. Deacon rummaged through the cabinets and found three relatively clean mugs. Gray watched as Li’ya tried to balance the fork on her finger, her lilac eyes sparkling with curiosity. His legs were starting to shake, so he pulled out the other kitchen chair and sank down into it. </p><p>Deacon placed the three cups of steaming tea on the table and then sat down in the third chair. Li’ya reached for the cup in front of her, and her hand waved back and forth through the steam. She tentatively touched the water and flinched back with a grimace.</p><p>“It’s hot!”</p><p>“Yeah, what else would it be?”</p><p>“What do you do with it?” she asked</p><p>“Drink it?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay. I’m not hungry,” Li’ya said, there was an awkward pause as they both stared at her and then she gasped and covered her mouth as she realized why she wasn’t hungry.</p><p>“Sorry. I’m sorry,”</p><p>“Right. Gonna shower,” Deacon said, and then taking his beer with him he left the kitchen. </p><p>Gray added some of the creamer to his tea and grimaced as he watched the powdery white stuff bob around on the surface before submerging into the tea. Then he realized that Li’ya was watching him watch his tea. </p><p>“So…. what were you doing down there in the tunnels in the first place?” she asked after several beats of silence.</p><p>Gray grimaced as he felt a jolt of fear surge through him at the mention of the tunnels and he found that he didn’t want to talk about it at all. An image of Deacon with blood-soaked hands flashed in his mind’s eye and he winced as if it were burdened with one thousand heavy stones. He couldn’t think about what happened, not now, maybe not ever and he felt his hands start to shake. The room suddenly felt very hot and small, like the walls were closing in on him. He stood up abruptly, the chair falling down with a loud bang that made him flinch again.</p><p>“I---I---I---need a moment or …two…sorry,” he stuttered, and then he bolted outside as fast as his legs could carry him. </p><p>He stumbled blindly in the bright sunlight behind the cottage, rounding a corner and sinking down onto a stone fence. He stared at the weeds emerging from the tired cobblestones, had it really just been two days since he had sat here complaining about the damn cameras? He took a few deep breathes and felt his heartbeat slow. Being out in the open, away from walls and darkness seemed to help a little bit. He exhaled slowly and felt a sudden pang of homesickness—not for his dodgy old flat in the city but for his childhood home just outside of Lillington. He closed his eyes and for just a moment he was there, sitting in his old bedroom staring at the frayed orange curtains that he always hated and the faded Beatles poster hanging above the black desk his mother had found dumped on the street and brought up to his room after cleaning it up. The longing to be there at this very moment was so strong it made his chest ache and his breathe hitched in his throat. </p><p>“Get a grip,” he murmured to himself, shaking his head and opening his eyes. Falling apart wasn’t going to solve anything. He itched his arm and winced as he felt his skin burn. He needed to shower.  He hoped that Deacon would have enough sense to leave a little bit of hot water for him</p><p>Then he realized that he had left Deacon and Li’ya alone in the cottage together and quickened his pace back inside. They weren’t exactly best mates at the moment, who knew what he would walk in on?  </p><p>The first thing he saw when he walked back into the cottage was Li’ya curled up on the cushioned chair fast asleep, her head resting on a pillow and a blanket draped over her shoulders. He heard a slight snore and saw that Deacon was passed out on the couch, the weirdly medieval clothes given to him by Li’ya replaced with his own. He smiled slightly at the two of them and then headed towards the bathroom to finally, finally shower.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My brand new chair collapsed on me during a zoom meeting today. I fell to the floor and then it fell on top of me, causing my dog to bark like crazy and my computer to fall on my head. My co-workers were highly amused by the incident. Oh what a day 0.O</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The day drifted by slowly and Gray found himself in a never-ending circle of falling asleep, dreaming of the tunnels and being woken up by his own screams. Deacon had reclused into the master bedroom and closed the door so he wasn’t sure how he was fairing. He had a distinct feeling that he was avoiding him and decided to give Deacon his space.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day drifted by slowly and Gray found himself in a never-ending circle of falling asleep, dreaming of the tunnels and being woken up by his own screams. Deacon had reclused into the master bedroom and closed the door so he wasn’t sure how he was fairing. He had a distinct feeling that he was avoiding him and decided to give Deacon his space. </p><p>Finally, real hunger overcame his desire to fall back into a dreamless sleep and he got up out of the bed and stood up, wincing slightly at the bandages covering his hands and forearms. The burns and cuts weren’t nearly as bad on his face and neck as he thought they would be. </p><p>He opened the door quietly and walked towards the kitchen. The clock on the wall in the living room said it was just past 2 in the afternoon. Gray was slightly surprised no one else from the Vatican had called or check in on them but then realized that both of their phones had been half-digested and probably didn’t work. </p><p>Li’ya was sitting cross-legged at the kitchen table, her long auburn hair hung in a braid down her back and she was looking over a stack of papers, her lilac eyes darting quickly over the pages and pages that Father Calvino had brought. There was a small stack of papers to her left, and Gray assumed those were the ones that she deemed useful. </p><p>“Any luck?” Gray asked</p><p>Li’ya started, dropping the page she was holding.</p><p>“You scared me! But then again, I’m not normally up this late--,” she yawned and then hiccupped. Gray braced himself for another item of clothing to come out of her mouth, but nothing appeared.</p><p>She blushed pink, “Excuse me,”</p><p>“It’s alright,”</p><p>Gray walked over to the fridge and opened it, looking for something to eat but all he could see was beer and a few bottles of white wine. How much did Deacon buy? He closed the fridge and turned to the cabinets. He found an opened box of biscuits, canned herring, a jar of marmalade, cream of mushroom soup, and a very old jar of pickled eggs. He considered these options in a variety of different combinations and then grabbed the biscuits. At some point, they would have to go out and get some real food, and Gray found that he really didn’t want to leave the cottage again. </p><p>He sat down at the table and opened the biscuits, he nibbled an edge and grimaced. It was very stale but he was hungry so he ate it.  </p><p>“I have a few leads on the whereabouts of the stone, but not much,” Li’ya said, pointing to the smaller stack of papers.</p><p>“You see, the stone is really old and it’s been in a lot of different places over your course of history. It has many names, let’s see…in the common tongue, it would be called the Dragon Stone or Dragon Jewel. The stone was forged from the last petal of Tilpion when the moon was first created. It is the only way for me to return home,”</p><p>Gray nodded and hoped Li’ya didn’t know that he didn’t understand a word of what she just said to him. </p><p>“This page here though, I think there is something written on the back. It could be Ithildin but there’s no way to be sure under tonight,” she said, holding up a page so he could see. It looked like a normal page of scripture to him.</p><p>“I’ll take your word for it…... What is it?” </p><p>“Moon ruins, you know, secret letters that only can be read under the light of the moon,” she said, looking at him and blinking.</p><p>“Like…..like…… on gates of Moria?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at her. </p><p>“Yes! Exactly! I know you knew your history!”</p><p>“That’s real? I didn’t  know that that was a real thing,”</p><p>“What was a real thing?” a voice said from behind, and Gray felt himself jump. He turned and saw Deacon standing in the doorway and watched as he walked into the kitchen and looked at the page that Li’ya was holding up. </p><p>“I don’t see anything,” he said</p><p>“Moon runes. It’s a code, only to be read by the light of the moon. I think we are on to something. We’re going to have to wait until tonight to read them though,” she said, putting the page down on the table.</p><p>“Sure. You go ahead and do that. Is there anything to eat?” Deacon said, looking up at Gray.</p><p>“Just some biscuits,” Gray answered, and then offered him the plate. </p><p>Deacon took one but didn’t eat it. </p><p>Li’ya opened up another book, and Gray recognized it as the journal that was given to them by Father Krellick.  She opened it to the first page, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she read intently. </p><p>“Gray, can I talk to you for a moment? Outside?” Deacon asked, pointing with the biscuit towards the door. They walked out, and down the path a little way. Deacon leaned against the stone wall and crossed his arms over his chest.</p><p>“You alright?” he asked after several beats of silence.</p><p>Gray really didn’t know how to answer that question, so he shrugged and didn’t say anything.</p><p>“I’ve been trying to get into contact with the congregation but I haven't had much luck. Maybe the wifi will be better downtown,” Deacon said, he picked up a small pebble that was laying on the wall and turned it over in his hands, and Gray could see that Deacon hadn’t bothered to cover up the cuts and scrapes on his hands.</p><p>Deacon squinted in the bright afternoon sunlight, “She still expects us to help her?”</p><p>“I guess so? I didn’t exactly say no,”</p><p>“Do you think it’s the right thing to do?”</p><p>“Me?” Graf scoffed, he looked up over the wall at the rolling green fields, and then up past the hills where dark clouds gathered. It appeared a storm would be coming in soon.</p><p>“ Part of me wants to get into that car and drive as far away from here as possible and never come back….but…” he faltered and took a breath, “the other part wants to know if anything of what she is saying is true, I mean we are both here right now when we were…..,”</p><p>He faltered again as a flash of the black walls of the cave burst In front of his mind’s eye and he felt a jolt of pain streak up his spine so intense that his hands started to shake. He turned away from Deacon and tried to take a breath, but he seemed to have forgotten how to inhale. He staggered slightly and felt Deacon touch his arm to steady him.</p><p>“You alright?”</p><p>Gray nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak. Why was this happening to him? Why couldn’t he just forget what happened in the caves and move forward? Why was it so hard to forget?</p><p>Another memory of Deacon, hands crossed over his chest hand clutching the silver pendant around his neck mumbling the lord’s prayer flashed across his eyes, and this time it felt as if he was there again, the scorching soil burning in his hands, the cave walls reverberating and pressing into his spine</p><p>“Gray? Look at me? You are here, outside of the cottage. Look at me--,” Deacon was talking, but Gray couldn’t understand what he was saying. He flinched away from Deacon’s touch as if he had burned him.</p><p>“No no..no.. no you were there, you were dying--,”</p><p>“I am here with you---,”</p><p>“You said it wasn’t real--,”</p><p>He felt himself slide off the stone wall and onto the ground, his entire body shaking. Deacon sunk down with him and--careful of the bandages on his hands-- gripped his wrists.</p><p>“Gray, listen to me. You are not there. Open your eyes and look at me,”</p><p>Gray opened his eyes and Deacon’s blurry face came into focus, his brow creased with worry.</p><p>“Feel the dirt on the ground, hear my voice, look at me. This is real, you are here with me. Take a few breathes, Gray,”</p><p>Slowly, Gray managed a few shaky breathes and he finally felt the world stop spinning.  Deacon watched him intently but didn’t say anything else. Gray took a few more breathes and finally he felt his hands stop shaking. He pulled his wrists out of Deacon’s grasp and crossed his arms over his chest. He took a few more breathes, and then he realized that Deacon was waiting for him to answer his questions. Should they help Li'ya? He felt fragmented thoughts skitter around his mind, disappearing before he could make a coherent sentence. He didn't really know what to say, but he felt that he needed to say something because they had been sitting in silence for way too long. </p><p>“This job…" Gray started, and then stopped again. Deacon looked up at him but didn't say anything.</p><p>"It...it was supposed to be a way out for me,” Gray said after a few more beats of silence, and he looked down at the still-present wedding band on his left hand. </p><p>Deacon remained quiet, and that gave Gray the courage to continue talking.</p><p>“It was raining….and she didn’t hit the brakes in time. They said it was fast, that she didn’t suffer much. I guess that’s a comfort, right?”</p><p>He knew that he should take the ring off, that that life was over but he could never bring himself to do it, it was still too soon, and now here he was telling Deacon—a total stranger to him—about her.</p><p>“I thought maybe if I did this.... if I was able to seek out the unknown….or….or…. find proof that miracles existed, then maybe I would….I dunno…..have some closure,”</p><p>“I thought you said you didn’t believe?” Deacon asked quietly.</p><p>“How could I when He couldn’t even save her? If any of this is real then why did he take her from me?”</p><p>“I can't answer that for you, Gray,”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter anyway, it’s been a while now. I’ve moved on, or at least I’m trying to…..I’ve figured that the bonus probably isn’t going to happen, eh?”</p><p>Deacon laughed quietly, “Who knows what they will say after they see what happened. I wouldn’t lose hope yet, who knows they might make you a Saint or something?”</p><p>Gray smiled slightly and then shivered as a gust of wind came in from the east causing the fallen dead leaves of the nearby trees to crinkle and whirl up into the air. </p><p>“I think we should help her, Gray,” Deacon said after a few moments of silence.</p><p>“She may be a little….ditzy…but if she is who she says she is then there is absolutely no way I am not seeing this through.  She could be the miracle we have all been looking for,” Deacon said, looking at Gray.</p><p>Gray looked at Deacon and saw that he was being serious. Who would have thought that Deacon would be the one to convince him to help Li’ya. He thought for sure that Deacon would be the one that needed the persuading. </p><p>There was a rush of strong wind, and they both jumped as they heard distant thunder. Thick drops of water started splashing down from the sky and Gray winced as his glasses clouded—the way they always do when it has just started raining. </p><p>“Alright. I’m in it if you are,” he said. </p><p>“Good, come on, let’s get inside before we get fried out here,” Deacon said, then he stood up and offered Gray his hand. Gray took it, and Deacon pulled him up to standing. </p><p>Gray looked at Deacon, “Thanks for….you know…”</p><p>Deacon smiled nodded his head, “Come on, I’ll put the kettle on,”</p><p>Then they both headed back towards the cottage where Li’ya was waiting for them inside.</p><p>888</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>On the ring...Gray did wear a wedding ring throughout the movie which was either written in the script or the lovely actor is married and they just forgot about it because who takes off their wedding ring? Mine is on all the time, sometimes I forget it is there and accidentally stab myself with it.</p><p>If the ring was intentional then it totally adds another layer of heartbreak to the ending, he is not only dying a terrible death but leaving behind a family. I could also totally see a sequel where his wife storms up to the church with a flamethrower and shouts "you digested my husband, you piece of shit!" and then explodes it. </p><p>Anyway, thank you for reading! More will be up soon as long as Real Life doesn't get in the way! </p><p>💖</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>By the time they arrived back inside the cottage, the storm was in full motion and Gray could hear the wind whistling through the cracks in the old windows from inside the kitchen. Li’ya was still sitting at the table, but she was asleep using Mandeville’s journal as a pillow, her auburn hair spread across the pages.</p><p>“You would have thought after being asleep for so many years, she would have the energy to stay awake for more than a few hours,” Gray commented with a small smile.</p><p>“It has been a big day for her, freedom can be exhausting,” Deacon replied.</p><p>Li’ya moved, and then shuddered slightly. Gray could see her eyes moving rapidly back and forth as she dreamed, a single tear rolled down her nose, shining in the soft kitchen light. Her hand clutched a torn-out piece of paper on the table and she winced again.</p><p>“I can’t…not…no…” she muttered, and her face crumpled with despair, but she didn’t wake.</p><p>“Come on, darling. This is no place to sleep,” Deacon whispered softly, </p><p>“No, please, no….” she whimpered faintly, still caught up in what ever she was dreaming.</p><p>“Shh, it’s alright,” Deacon said and then he picked her up with such gentleness that it made Gray’s heart ache and he wondered if Deacon at one point had been a father.  They had gone through so much together, yet there was very little that Gray actually knew about Deacon’s life before they met. </p><p>Gray busied himself with the kettle, falling in the comfort of a familiar routine that seemed to ground him just a bit. He felt less shaky as he watched the flames on the stove heat the kettle. The rain pattered against the window and thunder rumbled in the distance and softly through the deluge, Gray could hear the faint sound of church bells ringing. </p><p>Deacon came back into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Gray watched him as he examined the pages that Li’ya had put aside to be looked at. He was quiet for a few minutes, and then looked up Gray.</p><p>“Do you remember anything of what she said at the ch---what she said earlier?” Deacon asked.</p><p>Gray nodded, “Something about a curse, and we broke it—not sure how we did that—and that this stone thingy she is looking for will get her home. If we both saw her, then that makes her real, right?” he asked as he grabbed more clean mugs from the cabinet.</p><p>“Right,”</p><p>“So then we need to locate this stone, it sounds like the Arkenstone or something,”</p><p>“The Arkenstone?”</p><p>“You know, from The Hobbit? JRR Tolkien….Lord of the Rings?”</p><p>“I’m not much of a reader, Gray”</p><p>“You may be----,” Gray started but then he was interrupted by a loud thud, “--what was that?”</p><p>“It sounded like it came from the front,” Deacon said, standing up from the table and darting into the living room. Gray followed behind him, and felt himself jump as another loud bang echoed from the front door. He cast a worried glance at Li’ya, who was still asleep on the couch. </p><p>Deacon looked through the door window and they leaped backward.</p><p>“No, no, it can’t be,”</p><p>“Who is it?”</p><p>The door swung open, and Mark stepped into the living room. Gray stared at him in disbelief, because Mark was dead. Gray had seen his body in the church, the was absolutely no way he could be alive. Mark was wearing the same clothes from the night before and bore no scars on his face or hands. Even though it was pouring rain outside, he appeared quite dry. He stared blankly at Gray for a moment and then collapsed. </p><p>Deacon caught him before he hit the ground, “Come on, let’s get him to the kitchen,”</p><p>The kettle was going off as they carried Mark into the kitchen and set him down in one of the chairs at the table. He slumped forward, making no effort to keep his head up. </p><p>Then he awoke with a grasp, he reached out and grabbed Gray’s arm in a vicelike grip.</p><p>“What have you done? Do you know what you have awoken? From beneath us, it will devour all we hold dear,” he growled through clenched teeth. </p><p>“Easy, easy, Mark,” Deacon said, trying to—as gently as he could—pry Mark’s fingers off of Gray’s arm. Gray winced as Mark clawed at the bandages covering his hand and forearm, pulling them off and revealing red, scarred skin.</p><p>The three of them struggled and then Mark let go. Gray leaped backward away from the table. Deacon gripped Mark’s arms firmly, and then Mark went limp, slumping against the chair. </p><p>Gray hastily pulled the kettle from the burner and turned the stove off.</p><p>Deacon bent down so he was at eye level with Mark and he put a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Mark? Mark? Are you with us?”</p><p>Mark awoke with a gasp, and he grabbed Deacon by the collar of his sweater, pulling him close to his face.</p><p>“You are not safe here,” he growled</p><p>Deacon remained calm, but before he could say anything else Mark twitched and let go of him. He stared wide-eyed at his hands before balling them into fists.</p><p>“No, please no not again---,”</p><p>“Mark?”</p><p>“Make it st…st…st…stop…not again… stop please…I….I…I----!” he broke off with a sharp yell and gripped his hair with his hands. He took several unsteady breathes and then he straightened up. He calmly adjusted his shirt collar then folded his hands in front of them and put them on the table.</p><p>“I see that the two of you have made it back in one piece? Gray, please see that the equipment is packed up. The congregation will be picking us up as soon as my report is complete,” he said briskly, almost sounding like himself.</p><p>“I would also like a cup of tea before it gets cold,”</p><p>Gray stared at him in disbelief. What on earth was happening?</p><p>“Gray? Tea?” Mark prompted.</p><p>“Sure. Yeah, hold on,” Gray said and then he opened up the cabinets looking for another mug and tea packets. He set them on the kitchen table, then grabbed the kettle and filled the mug with hot water. He cast a look at Deacon who was still staring at Mark, brows furrowed in worry.</p><p>Mark took the mug and put an incredible amount of powdered creamer in the water before stirring it with the opposite end of one of the forks that were laying out on the table. </p><p>“Mark?” Deacon finally said and Mark looked at him, raising his eyebrows.</p><p>“Yes Deacon, what is it?”</p><p>“Are you alright?”</p><p>“I’m fine. I suggest you and Gray go and pack your things. We will be leaving early in the morning. The girl is with you, is she not?”</p><p>“I---what girl?” Deacon asked</p><p>Mark gave him an unimpressed look, “The one you found at the church?”</p><p>“We didn’t find anything, Mark. Are you sure you are alright?” Deacon asked</p><p>“It doesn’t matter anyway, she will be found soon enough. You two have done very well.” Mark said, and then he took a sip from the mug even though he had forgotten the teabag.</p><p>“Mark, I don’t understand. What is going on? Last time I saw you…you were….at the church…and---,” Deacon started but Mark cut him off.</p><p>“Nothing happened at the church---,”</p><p>“What do you mean? Father Calvino was there with us. I saw him go into the tunnels---”</p><p>“I SAID NOTHING HAPPENED!” Mark shouted his face contorting with anger, he stood up so quickly that the mug on the table fell over with a crash. He bent down and picked up the mug, then walked out of the kitchen through the living room, there was a sharp yell as he collided with the couch—and presumably, Li’ya who had woken up with a yelp.</p><p>“I apologize for startling you,” Gray heard him say, in a very different tone than a minute ago.</p><p>“Who are you?” she asked, she sounded slightly groggy like she had been woken from a deep sleep.</p><p>“My name is Mark, I am head of the investigation team. And you are?”</p><p>“Li’ya,”</p><p>Gray exchanged looked with Deacon, then Deacon stood up and walked into the living room, Gray followed closely behind him.</p><p>“She’s a friend---,”</p><p>“My cousin---,”</p><p>They both said at the same time, and Gray looked up at Mark. His entire demeanor had changed from anger to sudden calmness. He smiled at them pleasantly and took a sip of his half-spilled cream water.</p><p>“Excellent. Please, excuse me. Must go write my report now,” He said, and then he walked swiftly down the hallway. Gray winced as he heard the bedroom door slam shut. He turned to Deacon, who looked slightly bewildered.</p><p>“What just happened?” Gray asked him.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Deacon replied and he stayed silent for a few moments, staring down the hallway where Mark had vanished into the master bedroom. </p><p>“What time is it?” Li’ya asked,</p><p>Deacon checked his watch, which had miraculously survived the events that had occurred earlier.</p><p>“Nearly five,”</p><p>“No moon yet?” she asked, her lilac eyes glinting with hope,</p><p>“Not yet,” Deacon answered</p><p>She stood up and wobbled slightly on her feet. Deacon reached out and steadied her but his eyes were still on the hallway.</p><p>“Is your friend alright?” she asked, following his gaze.</p><p>“I’m not sure, here, stay with Gray. I’m going to check on him,” Deacon said, motioning to Gray with his free hand.</p><p>“Okay,”</p><p>Deacon waited until Li’ya was sure on her feet, and Gray watched him as he walked down the darkened hallway quickly after Mark, leaving Gray alone in the living room with Li’ya.</p><p>888</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One of my favorite moments from the movie:</p><p>Gray: HHEEHEEEWHHHOOLLLLLAALALALALALAWHOOHWHOOOOO! </p><p>Deacon: *really?*</p><p>Best jump scare ever. </p><p>More will be up tomorrow, Real Life willing. Today was just a trainwreck for me from start to finish so hopefully tomorrow will go better and I will be able to write some more. As always, thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gray woke to rumbling rolls of thunder, he opened his eyes and reached groggily for his glasses on the dresser and then winced as he heard another boom of rumbling come from above. Dim grey light filtered in through the curtained windows, and he heard the soft tinkling of water against the windowpanes.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gray woke to rumbling rolls of thunder, he opened his eyes and reached groggily for his glasses on the dresser and then winced as he heard another boom of rumbling come from above. Dim grey light filtered in through the curtained windows, and he heard the soft tinkling of water against the windowpanes. Apparently, the storm had not passed on during the night, and the deluge continued, accompanied by a fierce wind that rattled the nearby trees. He was alone in the room, and he gazed at the made twin bed across from him. Had Deacon come in at all last night? He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling with weary eyes. What had happened last night? Was Mark really back? He had been acting very strange, and Gray couldn’t help but shudder when he remembered the way Mark had glared at them.  </p><p>Gray’s night had been pierced by vicious nightmares, and not just of the tunnels but of Li’ya as well. Of her being entombed in a room of metal, crying for help but he was never able to find her. He sighed quietly and then stood up, fighting a wave of dizziness as he blindly reached out for the wall to steady himself. He felt both drunk and hungover at the same time, even though he barely had anything to eat or drink the night before. Slowly, on unsteady feet he made his way out of the room, down the hallway, and into the living room.  </p><p>Li’ya was sitting in the living room wearing a black jacket—Gray recognized it as Mark’s—that was zipped up over her emerald green dress. Gray winced as the image of Li’ya trapped in a steel coffin flashed in his mind’s eye—an image that had frequented his nightmares during the night.  She looked deep in thought, but then she smiled when she saw him.</p><p>“Morning,” she said</p><p>“Morning, sleep okay?” he replied</p><p>“I guess, storm blocked out the moon,”</p><p>“You can try again tonight,” Gray said,</p><p>Li’ya nodded, and then she sat up straighter and motioned with her hand to a neat pile of clothes that were folded on the small coffee table. Gray recognized his wallet sitting on top, along with the shirt he had been wearing when---he shuttered as another flash of the tunnel coursed across his line of sight and he suddenly he felt light-headed. He took a couple of deep breathes, and the feeling passed.</p><p>“I sorted out the items that were in my bag, and tried to restore them the best I could,” she said.</p><p>“Thanks, Li’ya,”</p><p>“Sorry again for…you know….digesting them,”</p><p>“It’s alright,” Gray said, and then he saw movement in the kitchen.</p><p>“I don’t think he slept at all last night, I heard him pacing in the kitchen,” Li’ya said, pointing to the kitchen.</p><p>“Deacon?”</p><p>“Yeah, your other friend is still asleep I think,”</p><p>“Okay,”</p><p>Gray walked into the kitchen and saw that Deacon was sitting at the table, and going over the papers that Li’ya had set aside from the night before. Gray watched as he turned a page shakily with his left hand, and then took a sip of wine from the glass to his right.</p><p>“Little early to be starting in on the wine?” Gray asked, and he immediately regretted it as he watched Deacon flinch and turn around.</p><p>“Oh, hey Gray. You’re finally up.”</p><p>“Yeah,”</p><p>“I’m just going over some of these pages here,”</p><p>“That’s good,”</p><p>“Yeah,”</p><p>Gray walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a mug and filled it with water. He saw the box of biscuits he had left out from the night before still sitting on the table and felt his stomach rumble.  He reached for the box and was surprised to find that it was nearly full. Had Deacon eaten anything since…well…at all?</p><p>He took a biscuit and then offered the box to Deacon.</p><p>“Breakfast?” he asked</p><p>“Nah, I’m fine,” Deacon said, shaking his head.</p><p>“Are you sure? When was the last time you had something to eat?”</p><p>He did not miss the slight tremble in Deacon’s hands before he balled them into fists.</p><p>“I’m fine, Gray. Don’t worry about me,”</p><p>“Oh--,” Gray started, but was interrupted by Mark emerging into the kitchen, who looked pale even in the dim cloudy light. In one hand he held an envelope, and in the other his bags.</p><p>“The car will be here soon,” he said,</p><p>“What’s going on? What car?” Gray asked, feeling confused. </p><p>“Nothing that concerns you, Gray. Go make yourself useful and gather up all the cameras. We will be leaving shortly,”</p><p>Mark wobbled slightly and touched his hand to his forehead.</p><p>Deacon stood up and reached for him, “Mark---,”</p><p>Mark flinched away from him, “Don’t you think you have done enough? Take your false concerns away with you, Deacon,” Mark snapped angrily, sending him a fierce glare. Deacon shook his head but backed away from him. </p><p>“Wait a minute, we’re leaving?” Gray confirmed, now even more confused because he thought that they would be staying for a few more days, at least until Li’ya was able to find a lead on the location of the stone.</p><p>“Deacon and I will be taking the girl to our headquarters,” Mark said seriously, and then he walked over to Gray and handed him the envelope that had the seal of the Vatican on it.</p><p>“Yes, this should cover it.”</p><p>“What---?” Gray opened it and saw a neat pile of notes.</p><p>“Transport to get home. Consider it your bonus,” Mark said</p><p>“I don’t--,”</p><p>“Thank you for your services, Mr. Parker but you are no longer required,”</p><p>Gray looked at Deacon, who quickly looked down avoiding his eye.</p><p>“I’m not going with you to the Vatican?”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Gray. I tried---,”</p><p>“Forget it, Deacon. He was never one of us,” Mark said.</p><p>Gray looked at Deacon, they were leaving him, after all they went through? That was it? He had opened up to Deacon, he thought that they were closer than that. How could he just leave?</p><p>There was a sharp beep that made everyone jump.</p><p>“That’ll be our ride, Gray be sure to also gather the equipment at the church. We wouldn’t want anybody else taking the cameras. Goodbye,” Mark said and walked out of the kitchen then he not so gently pulled Li’ya up to standing. She cast Gray an apologetic look with her lilac eyes but then followed Mark and Deacon out into the cloudy morning. </p><p>And the door closed shut, leaving Gray alone in the dark, cold cottage.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>More will be up soon, real-life willing. Poor Gray!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>For a long time, Gray stood in the kitchen with the envelope in one hand and the mug of cold water in the other. Deacon was gone, he had left him here without any explanation and Gray felt numb.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For a long time, Gray stood in the kitchen with the envelope in one hand and the mug of cold water in the other. Deacon was gone, he had left him here without any explanation and Gray felt numb. He knew that he should move, get something to eat, pack his things and get the hell out of this cursed cottage but he couldn’t move a muscle. Why would Deacon leave him after everything that they went through together? He felt his hands shaking and with dim awareness watched as the mug fell out of his hand and crashed onto the floor. The shards of glass shattered across the dull white tiles, scattering under the table. Yet, still Gray didn’t move and it was only when the next roll of thunder boomed across the sky causing the window panels to shake in their frame did Gray flinch at the sudden loud noise and he was brought back to his sense just enough to avoid stepping on the glass as he walked out of the kitchen into the living room. </p><p>He spent the day in a trance-like state, sluggishly packing up the equipment into the boxes and cleaning up the cottage. A few times he thought he heard a car approaching in the driveway and would dart out, hoping to see a familiar face but it was nothing other than a trick of the rain as the storm continued to thunder on. He then realized with a sickening drop in his stomach that the remaining equipment was back at the church, and that he would have to go back up there to retrieve it. He procrastinated for another hour, and then with a heavy sense of dread in his chest, he got into his car and drove to the church. </p><p>The church stood exactly the same as it had two days ago, a dense malevolent fog bearing down upon each shadow that was cast in the dim dreary light. Gray moved hastily, using the drill he had brought with him to take down the overhead CCTV cams one at a time. Every sound made him jump, and he felt as if he were being watched by invisible malicious eyes as he packed up the remaining equipment. His breath billowed before him as he closed the heavy cartridges and piled the cables into his bag. He winced as the church walls creaked and cracked in the heavy wind and for a moment Gray thought he could hear crying but it was just a trick of the elements. </p><p>Dim, heavy memories of what had happened continued to run through his head like a never-ending horror movie. He remembered how angry he had felt at Deacon for lying to him about what happened in Belem, and how trivial it now seemed. He had just been trying to protect himself and Gray had pushed him to talk about it. He winced, why did he have to be such a noisy git all the time? Deacon was gone, he had left him by himself to spiral and now there was no one to hold him when he fell.  Gray winced as he remembered their last conversation, he had opened up to Deacon and told him about his wife…how she had….he winced as burning pain flooded his vision. He still couldn’t think about it, it still hurt too much.  He didn’t even know why he still wore his ring; it was just a painful reminder of what had once been. </p><p>As Gray ambled along the beaten and battered old cobblestone of the church floor he stumbled over a protruding piece of tile and with a mighty crash he fell through the floor and winced as the cobblestones gave way, sending him plummeting down under the earth in a gloomy stony tunnel. Fear coursed through him as he plunged into blackness, falling deeper and deeper into the intricate system of caves that lay beneath the church until finally, he hit the bottom. He felt a jolting pain shoot up his leg as he fell hard on uneven rock.</p><p>“Oh for fucks sake, are you kidding me?” he grumbled as he pushed himself up to sitting and looked around, trying to fight panic because the last time he had been underground he had nearly died. This time though, he was completely alone without any means to call for help. He looked around in the dim light and saw that he was in a large circular room. The hole that he had fallen through casted shallow dreary light across the cavern and Gray could see that there was some kind of ruins drawn on the wall. </p><p>“Please no more baby skeletons, please let there be no baby skeletons,” Gray whispered into the darkness as he struggled to pull out the car keys from his pocket that had a tiny little flashlight keychain. Fortunately for him, there were no skeletons in sight but unfortunately, he was not able to see much of anything. Slowly, on shaky feet he stood up and looked around, trying to keep his breath under control, an overwhelming sense of vulnerability falling over him as he realized that he was all alone. No one knew where he was, and he didn’t have a working phone to call for help.  He couldn’t stop his hands from shaking as he tried desperately to not panic. He blindly started walking, holding his hand out in front of him like a blind man, and hoping beyond hope that he wouldn’t run into anything else that wanted to eat him.  Slowly, he found his way to the end of the cavern and found a tunnel that appeared to be heading upward. Gathering all the courage he could muster, Gray walked into the small tunnel, and gathering all the courage he had, he managed to take one step in front of another, leaving the cavernous room behind him. The tunnel—to him at least—appeared to go on for miles, and it was becoming colder and colder. Gray could see his breath condensing in front of his face and he continued to walk through the dark tunnel. </p><p>Finally, after what seemed like hours, Gray began to see a flickering hazy emerald light in front of him and he quickened his pace, hoping that the tunnel was coming to an end and he would be able to find his way back up to the surface. Soon, he found himself in another cavernous chamber that was lit with dancing green light that was coming from a small stand in the center of the room. As Gray walked towards it, he saw that the walls of this cavern were covered in silver and green stalagmites glistening in the soft glowing light.  Slowly, he approached the stand and saw that it was full of green liquid, and at the bottom was a glowing crescent-shaped stone. It was emitting a soft shiny light, and to Gray, it looked like the most beautiful thing in the entire world.</p><p>“The Dracelstone,” he whispered softly, and he then did something that was both incredibly brave yet very stupid, he reached his hand and emerged it into the mysterious green liquid grabbing the glowing stone with his fingers he pulled it out half expecting to see his flesh melting off his bones but all he felt was a slight tingling sensation as he pulled his hand out of the liquid holding the small crescent-shaped stone.</p><p>“No fucking way,” he said out loud, had it really been that easy? As he held the stone in his hand, a sudden image of the cottage kitchen popped up into his mind’s eye and he hopelessly wished that he were there at this very moment because it was warm and dry and it had tea. But there was no way he was going to be able to--------,</p><p>Whooooooshhhhhhhhhhhhhh----</p><p>AHHHHHHH!</p><p>Gray was spinning in a vast whirlwind of glowing colors streaking past him, and then Gray’s head collided with something hard. He winced opened his eyes and found himself staring at the bottom of the refrigerator in the cottage kitchen. He sat up slowly and then stared at the small stone in his hand. Had it really just transported him away from the cave he was in, to the very place where he wanted to be? Quickly, he set it down before it transported him back to the caves. </p><p>He stared at the small glowing stone, was this really it? This was what Li’ya had been looking for? It was smaller than he thought it would be. </p><p>Now he had the Dracelstone, but no way to contact Li’ya or Deacon about it. His only hope was that she would somehow sense that the stone had been awoken and be able to trace it through her secret moon powers that she may or may not have.  As he was trying to decide which number to call on the original Vatican Conservation letter that they had sent him last week when he had accepted the job that would get him the closest to coming in contact with either Deacon or Mark, he heard a knock on the door. </p><p>He opened the door, and there standing before him soaking wet from the rain was Deacon. There was a long, strained silence until Gray crossed his arms over his chest and cleared his throat. </p><p>“Took you long enough, eh? Gray said, not bothering to hide the bitterness in his voice.</p><p>“Gray, I---,” Deacon started in a shaky voice, and then he faltered as he swayed on his feet, and Gray saw that there was blood mixed in with the rain on his shirt, and the dark shadows on his face were cuts and bruises. Deacon reached towards him with a trembling right hand, and Gray saw dangling from his wrist half of a set of very beaten-looking handcuffs. All the anger and resentment that had been building up in Gray’s chest throughout the day vanished the moment their eyes met. </p><p>He had come back for him, and that was all that mattered.</p><p>“Doesn’t matter, mate. Come inside, I’ll put the kettle on,” Gray said, and then he opened the door wider for Deacon to step inside the cottage.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wonder if they will ever make a prequel of what happened in Belem? That would be pretty cool! Thank you for reading! More will be up soon, real-life willing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter B</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gray sat in silence as he watched Deacon slowly sip his tea and not say anything. He appeared to be struggling with where to start. Gray knew from the little time that he had known Deacon that he wasn’t one to senselessly chat into oblivion though, so he waited and took another sip of his tea.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">Gray sat in silence as he watched Deacon slowly sip his tea and not say anything. He appeared to be struggling with where to start. Gray knew from the little time that he had known Deacon that he wasn’t one to senselessly chat into oblivion though, so he waited and took another sip of his tea.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Mark wasn’t…,” Deacon finally started but then he paused and Gray saw his right hand shaking slightly before he balled his fingers into a fist.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“It was an illusion—all of it—the congregation they knew she was there this entire time and used us as mere pawns to acquire her. Our lives—including hers-- were considered expendable from the very beginning. They were seeking the stone, they never intended to free her,” Deacon finally said, and he looked up at Gray.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“When I realized what they were doing, I tried to….but it was too late. They have her, Gray and I don’t…know what else….”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Well, you are in luck because while I was packing things up at the church I found the bloody thing,”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“You found it?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Yes, it was actually kind of an accident---,”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Where?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“In the caves under the church, look--,” Gray said and then held up the coffee mug that he had put the stone in earlier.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“It’s that man again! Despite his meandering maneuverability, his strategical susceptibility, his infantile indefatigability, and his tendency towards tactical tradability, he still remains,” a voice said from the mug.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Gray looked at the mug, and then looked at Deacon.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“What?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I did my waiting, twelve years of it, in Azkaban!”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">There was a loud BANG as the stone shot out of the cup and turned into a large red dragon.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Who are you?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Who am I? <em>Who am I? </em>I am the guardian of lost souls, I am the powerful, the pleasurable, the indestructible Mushu,” the dragon said, casting them a wide smile and cackling loudly.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Alright uhh, Mushu. What is it that you want?” Gray asked, raising his eyebrows at the dragon.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Mushu just looked at him, and then smiled,</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“We want to be free! We want to be able to do what we want to do! We want to get loaded, and we want to have a good time. So that’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna have a good time.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I don’t think I understand, Gray what exactly is going on?” Deacon said, raising his eyebrows at the figure and then looking at Gray.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Do you think this guy could help us find Li’ya?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Um, excuse me? Do you know Li’ya?” Gray asked.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son,” Mushu said, and he shook his finger at Gray.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“She’s like, the moon goddess or something? Can you tell me where she is?” Gray asked</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“ Ahh, ahhh ahhhhhhhhhhh. You didn't say the magic word,”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“What are you talking about? What magic word? Do you know anything about Li’ya?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“She’s my daughter!…She’s my sister! She’s my daughter! My sister, my daughter…she’s my sister and my daughter!” Mushu said.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Seriously?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I’m serious. She could actually be a 300-pound dude who lives in his momma’s basement in suburban Detroit, and her name is Chuck.” Mushu said, and then he started laughing.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I’m confused, do you know where Li’ya is right now at this very moment?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I do not, for one, think that the problem was that the band was down. The problem may have been that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being crushed by a dwarf!”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“So she’s……at the Stonehenge?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“We ain't got no business goin’ to room 237! WE SHOULD STAY OUT! Plus, there was this crazy naked zombie lady in there.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Deacon, a little help please,”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Nothing suggested in the last three minutes has been better than “smashy smashy egg man” Deacon said and then he chugged an entire bottle of wine.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Oh no, not you too!”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Drink up, let’s boo-boo!”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Deacon motioned for him to come closer, and then he whispered in Gray’s ear, “….I have nipples, Greg. Could you milk me?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“NO!”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I don’t want to talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal food trough wiper! I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries,” Mushu said, and then with a loud <em>poof he</em> disappeared from the kitchen.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Deacon and Gray looked at each other, “W.T.F just happened?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <em>“I know exactly what happened”</em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">A majestic voice boomed down from the heavens.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Who are you?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I am SongsofPsyche, creator of worlds and slave to the mighty plot bunnies of creativity, and you, my dear friends, have just been subjected to another episode of APRIL FOOLS!!!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHHSHHAHHAHKLJDJKDHLJDKHFLJKDFH,”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY :) I couldn't resist making a joke chapter! Don't worry though, the real one will be up soon!</p><p>-Chinatown<br/>-National Lampoon's Animal House<br/>-Meet the Parents<br/>-Mulan<br/>-The World's End<br/>-Ready Player One<br/>-Monty Python and the Holy Grail<br/>-Jurassic Park<br/>-This is Spinal Tap</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9 (for real this time)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gray sat in silence as he watched Deacon slowly sip his tea and not say anything. He appeared to be struggling with where to start. Gray knew from the little time that he had known Deacon that he wasn’t one to senselessly chat into oblivion though, so he waited and took another sip of his tea.</p><p> </p><p>“Mark wasn’t…,” Deacon finally started but then he paused and Gray saw his right hand shake slightly before he balled his fingers into a fist.</p><p> </p><p>“It was an illusion—all of it—the congregation …they knew she was there this entire time and used us as mere pawns to acquire her. Our lives—including hers-- were considered expendable from the very beginning. They were seeking the stone, they never intended to free her,” Deacon finally said, and he looked up at Gray.</p><p> </p><p>“When I realized what they were doing, I tried to….but it was too late. They have her, Gray and I don’t…know what else….” He broke off with a wince and shook his head.</p><p> </p><p>“There are forces at work here that I don’t even understand, Gray. Old—older than anything written by man—when they realized that Li’ya didn’t have the stone, that’s when the façade fell through. I barely got away. She’s in trouble, we have to find the stone before they do,” Deacon said, and his eyes flashed with a steely determination that Gray had never seen before.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon reached for the cup of tea that was sitting in front of him, then winced in pain as his movement upset the many cuts and bruises on his hands. The dangling chain from the cuff still secured around his wrist clicked softly with his movement, and Gray wondered how on earth Deacon had managed to escape.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, you are in luck because while I was packing things up at the church I found the bloody thing,”</p><p> </p><p>“You found it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, it was actually kind of an accident---,”</p><p> </p><p>“Where?”</p><p> </p><p>“In the caves under the church, look--,” Gray said and then held up the coffee mug that he had put the stone in earlier.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon looked at it thoughtfully, he reached to touch it with his undamaged hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Last time I touched it, it transported me back here. I think that’s what it does, it takes whoever touches it wherever they are thinking of,” Gray said quickly before Deacon actually touched it and was whisked off somewhere.</p><p> </p><p>He withdrew his hand but didn’t say anything.</p><p> </p><p>Gray took a sip of his tea, very aware of the heavy silence that was falling between them.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you know where they took her?” Gray asked</p><p> </p><p>Deacon shook his head, and then winced slightly, “Congregation Headquarters, but I don’t know it gets kinda blurry----I don’t know--,” he broke off and then attempted to flex his fingers and winced.</p><p> </p><p>“Did they hurt you?” Gray asked, and then winced at his stupid question. Of course, they hurt him.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon shook his head, “No, no I’m fine. Gray, I know things ended kind of weird between us but she needs help, she----,” he broke off as he winced again, swayed slightly, and gripped the edge of the table with his right hand.</p><p> </p><p>Gray reached out, only to steady him, and Deacon flinched away from his outstretched hand.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine--,”</p><p> </p><p>“No, you’re not--,”</p><p> </p><p>“There’s no time--,”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, there is. Please, let me help you and then we can go storming off to wherever the hell headquarters is and rescue Li’ya. But right now you are in no condition to sip tea, let alone go storming off anywhere, so please…” Gray said, putting his hand on Deacon’s shoulder to stop him from falling over.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon looked up at him, “You’ll help?”</p><p> </p><p>Gray nodded, “As much as I desperately want to go home right now, I wouldn’t feel right just leaving her in danger. She deserves a happy ending just as much as we do,”</p><p> </p><p>Deacon gave him a dubious look, “We do?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Yes.</em> Now, come on. Let me see your hand,” Gray said</p><p> </p><p>Deacon held out his uninjured hand,</p><p> </p><p>“No no, the other one. I think I can get that off,” Gray said, point to the broken handcuff attached to his wrist. He stood up, and rummaged around the kitchen drawers, looking for a paperclip or a safety pin. He found both in the cottage’s first aid kit, which was under the sink. Once he pulled out the safety pin, he sat back down and poked it into the cuff lock.</p><p> </p><p>“What kind of tech specialist are you?”</p><p> </p><p>“I have many hidden talents, ah there we go,” Gray said, and the cuff fell onto the table with a clink.</p><p> </p><p>Gray then reached for the first aid kit, but Deacon brushed him away.</p><p> </p><p>“Stop, I can do it myself Gray,” he said, and at the same time, he lost his balance and gripped the table.</p><p> </p><p>“No, you can’t. Hold still.”</p><p> </p><p>Gray did his best to clean the cuts and scrapes scattered across Deacon’s hand and face, and Deacon allowed Gray to help him.</p><p> </p><p>“Have you had anything to eat since I last saw you?”</p><p> </p><p>“No--,”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Deacon,</em>”</p><p> </p><p>“There just wasn’t any time, I---,”</p><p> </p><p>“Here, eat this. Then we can talk about what we can do to rescue Li’ya” Gray said, and he put one of the biscuits in Deacon’s uninjured hand. He suddenly wished that they had more food than just stale biscuits and whatever else was in the cabinet. He stood up and checked it again, but the contents were still the same: canned herring, marmalade, cream of mushroom soup, and a very old jar of pickled eggs. None of it looked the least bit appetizing and he realized with a sinking feeling that he would have to go to the store eventually. He then grabbed the jar of marmalade and put it on the table.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon raised his eyebrows at him.</p><p> </p><p>“For the biscuits,”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re insane,” Deacon said, but then he ate the biscuit. Gray took a sip of his tea and waited until Deacon had eaten two more of the biscuits before saying anything else.</p><p> </p><p>“Where are headquarters anyway? I always assumed they were at the Vatican,” Gray asked, taking another sip of his tea.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re correct, that’s where Mark---or whomever that was--- said they were heading. They’re probably almost there,”</p><p> </p><p>“So that’s where we are going to go too,”</p><p> </p><p>“But how? They’ve almost had a full day’s head start, Gray,”</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll use the stone. Get there, grab Li’ya and then get the hell out,” Gray said, motioning to the coffee mug that had the stone in it.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s…..that’s not a bad idea. Do you know how to use it?” Deacon asked</p><p> </p><p>“Not really, but I’m sure it’s not that hard. I already kinda used it once, you know,”</p><p> </p><p>“But did you know what you were doing?”</p><p> </p><p>“Uh…no…not really. Do you think we should practice first?”</p><p> </p><p>They both stared at the coffee mug.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve never done this before,”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s alright, neither have I.” Gray answered, and then before he stop himself he started laughing. All of this just seemed too crazy for any of it to be real. They had a magic crescent-shaped rock in a coffee mug that could transport them anywhere they wanted.</p><p> </p><p>“None of this seems real,”</p><p> </p><p>“Before the events that transpired over the past few days, I was absolutely convinced that it wasn't,” Deacon replied, and then he started laughing too.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright, should we give this thing a try?” Gray said, motioning towards the coffee mug.</p><p> </p><p>Deacon took another bite of the biscuit and then nodded his head.</p><p> </p><p>Gray quickly turned the mug upside down, and they both watched as the stone landed on the table, glowing softly in the kitchen light.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Where should we go?”</p><p> </p><p>“Someplace we both know, I assume. How about Saint Mary’s Cathedral in the city? We’ve both been there, yeah?” Deacon said,</p><p> </p><p>“Sure,”</p><p> </p><p>Gray reached out and touched the stone, and Deacon did the same. He thought of the cathedral in London, and just like before, there was a burst of purple light and he felt as if he was falling, and then----,</p><p> </p><p>“Ahhhhhh!!”</p><p> </p><p>CRASH!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Oh my God! What are you doing in my living room? Get out!” a voice screamed.</p><p> </p><p> Gray looked up to see a young woman with frizzy blonde hair dressed in pajamas that had sushi on them. She yelled loudly and threw a furry red pillow at Deacon. A little grey dog came running out of the backroom barking like crazy. There was a hissing noise, and a tiny calico kitten burst out from under the tv and launched herself at Gray.</p><p> </p><p>“Where are we? This isn’t London!”</p><p> </p><p>“London?”</p><p> </p><p>“What town are we in?” Gray asked the woman on the couch.</p><p> </p><p>“Uhhhhhh, Moraga?”</p><p> </p><p>“Moraga? Where is that? Ouch!” Gray asked while trying as delicately as he could to detach the small kitten from his leg, whose claws were digging deep into his skin.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes? Saint Mary’s College of California?” she said, arm still posed with the pillow, ready to throw it at them.</p><p> </p><p>“California? Like in North America?”</p><p> </p><p>“Damn it, Deacon! You thought of one place, and I thought of another and we ended up somewhere in between. I’m very sorry, miss please don’t call the police,” Gray said, looking at the terrified young woman who was sitting on the red couch staring at them in shock. The dog continued barking, and the cat continued hissing.</p><p> </p><p>“How do we go back?”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know?!?”</p><p> </p><p>“HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS”</p><p> </p><p>“Who the hell are you guys?”</p><p> </p><p>“Quick, think of the cottage kitchen!” Gray said, and he held out the stone. Deacon tentatively put on finger on it.</p><p> </p><p>“Best of luck with everything!”</p><p> </p><p>There was another burst of purple light and they were back in the kitchen. The woman on the red sofa, the dog, and the cat were all gone.</p><p> </p><p>Gray looked at Deacon, “Alright well, that was a start I guess. We have to be thinking of the same place, yeah?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, sorry about there. There are a lot of Saint Mary’s,”</p><p> </p><p>“Right. It seems simple enough though, touch the stone then think of the place you want to go,” Gray said</p><p> </p><p>Deacon nodded, “Okay, so how are we going to get her out?”</p><p> </p><p>Gray thought for a moment. Even if they did make it to the Vatican, he had never been there before. He hadn’t even been to Rome, not even on holiday and he didn’t speak much Italian. The odds, it seemed, were very against him. He watched as Deacon took another sip of his tea, looking thoughtfully at the stone on the kitchen table.</p><p> </p><p>“ Okay, we go there together. I’ll cause a diversion and you will use your technical skills to break into the security room and locate Li’ya. Use the stone to get her, and get out to someplace safe,” Deacon said after a moment of silence.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay. What about you?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be fine, Gray. I’ll find a way to reach you. Stay with her though, and make sure she is safe,”</p><p> </p><p>“No, no we go in this together and are getting out of it together, Deacon. I’ll find a way,”</p><p> </p><p>“Alright. So the Vatican, it’s in Rome---,”</p><p> </p><p>“I know where the Vatican is---”</p><p> </p><p>“Good,”</p><p> </p><p>Gray couldn’t help but feel anxious about their plan. About a zillion things could go wrong, but they really didn’t have time to come up with a better one.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, ready?”</p><p> </p><p>“Ready as I’ll ever be,”</p><p> </p><p>Gray took a deep breath, looked up at Deacon then reached out and touched the stone, there was a blinding flash of light and the cottage kitchen disappeared, bringing them forth into the unknown.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was a fun one to write! More will be up soon, real-life willing. Thanks for reading!! 💖</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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